Sue Radford has confirmed that her eldest daughter Sophie’s 10-year marriage has come to an end, revealing that while the split was painful, Sophie is now in a much better place emotionally.
Speaking ahead of the new series of 22 Kids & Counting, the mum of Britain’s biggest family admitted that Sophie and her husband Joe are no longer together after a decade of marriage. Sue explained that the decision wasn’t taken lightly, but it ultimately brought relief rather than regret.
“Sadly, a lot of marriages do break down and you can’t fix them,” Sue said. “They aren’t together anymore, but they are making it work with their three children.”
The upcoming episode will mark the first time the family has publicly addressed the split, with Sophie choosing to open up on camera about her heartbreak and her new chapter as a single mum. Sue admitted it was difficult to watch her daughter go through such a painful period but said she was incredibly proud of her honesty.
“She wanted to share how she was feeling and how she is feeling now,” Sue said, adding that the experience had taken its toll on the whole family.
Although speculation had been swirling since Sophie described herself as “single” on Instagram last year, the family deliberately waited until now to confirm the news. Sue revealed that she and husband Noel first sensed something was wrong during a family trip to Orlando to celebrate her 50th birthday.
“We realised it had been brewing for a while,” she said. “Sophie couldn’t live like that anymore. She is definitely a lot happier now.”
Despite the separation, Sue stressed that co-parenting remains a priority, with Joe still closely involved in their children’s lives. She explained that he continues to help after school and even spent Christmas with the family, showing that the split has not broken family ties.
Noel echoed her sentiment, saying the family wants happiness for everyone involved. As Sue put it, the chapter may have closed — but a calmer, healthier one has already begun.
